Twenty-Three Local Firefighters Complete Auto Extrication Training
Freestone County Fire Association held an Auto Extrication training over the past weekend on Saturday, July 25-26, 2020 at the 24hour towing company in Fairfield, Texas.
The local fire departments are made of volunteers, and part of their dedication to protecting people is the variety of instruction they complete.
Auto Extrication is the means by which first responders remove people from vehicles that are damaged and unable to have door(s) opened by normal means.
“This is meant to were when somebody is trapped in this car, we can pull up and everyone gets out of the truck, knows where their position is, they know what they are going to do,” explains Monte Atchley – Freestone County Emergency Management.
This takes training to properly operate the equipment, plus know what each member will begin working on as soon, as they arrive on the scene.
The training session was for a level 1 certification (there are three levels in all) with people from numerous local fire departments participating.
As vehicles evolve, so has the method of extrication from different vehicles. This means that training needs to be current in order to handle older cars, as well as the newest styles available.
Buffalo, Dew, Elkhart, Fairfield, Oakwood, Southern Oaks, Streetman, Teague and Wortham Fire Departments all participated. Some departments from out of Freestone County help on mutual calls, so it is important the various departments know how to work together.
Twenty-three people attended the session, of all ages and genders, to learn how to operate and hold equipment.
The apparatus’, which weights thirty to forty pounds at times, must be held at shoulder height, or higher.
Additionally, they learn how to safely remove people without causing them any further damage during the process.
The firefighters present at the training could not stress enough how thankful they were for the support they received from 24 hour towing company.
“24 hour towing company allowed us to use their vehicles, they even pulled a trailer out here for us to get in and cool off,” said Atchley.
Not only did the business provide a place to train, they also donated six vehicles to be used for the classes.
Plus, 24 hour towing company made sure there were employees present at all times that could assist in any way needed.
In October, some members of the Freestone County Fire Association will be attending Level 2 Auto Extrication training in New Braunsfels, Texas.
(Photos by Victoria Keng)
